Medical briefs

Sunday

Feb 24, 2013 at 2:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Seacoast Mental Health Center recently completed a construction project in which the rear-side entrance of its 1145 Sagamore Ave. office and adjoining hallways were widened and modified to increase access to the building.

PORTSMOUTH — Seacoast Mental Health Center recently completed a construction project in which the rear-side entrance of its 1145 Sagamore Ave. office and adjoining hallways were widened and modified to increase access to the building.

The project was made possible through a Portsmouth Accessibility Grant Program funded by a Community Development Block Grant from the Department of U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

Accessibility enhancements include the outside entrance door being widened from 36 to 42 inches, installation of a low energy swing door operator with wall switch and wireless transmitter, five inner doorways widened from 36 to 42 inches and installation of handrail and ramp. SMHC Facilities Manager Dan Young called the project "ambitious" and cited the impact it will have on the office.

"It was very difficult for people in wheelchairs to gain entry into the back portion of our Portsmouth facility," Young said. "This grant enabled us to make structural modifications we would not have been able to do otherwise. I'm just grateful there were funds available for something like this."

City Manager John Bohenko said SMHC's project directly aligned with CDBG's funding priorities. "This project is a great example of how CDBG funds can be used in support of the Seacoast Mental Health Center's mission and to insure that all members of our community have access to their building and services."

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013, Seacoast Mental Health Center is a state-designated community mental health center and provides comprehensive psychiatry, counseling, case management and psychological services to residents of the eastern half of Rockingham County.

For more information, visit www.smhc-nh.org.

PORTSMOUTH — The Foundation for Seacoast Health granted $317,600 to Families First Health and Support Center, the Seacoast's community health center.

The grant will support general operations — including health, dental and family programs — and special projects such as bimonthly luncheons for seniors held at the Community Campus, cervical cancer screenings, and a group to help families improve their diet and exercise habits.

Having supported Families First since 1986, the Foundation for Seacoast Health is the longest-standing of the foundations that support Families First, as well as the largest foundation donor.

The foundation is one of the largest private charitable foundations in New Hampshire, created in 1984 with private endowments and the proceeds of the sale of the Portsmouth Hospital to Hospital Corporation of America. The foundation's mission is to invest its resources to improve the health and well-being of Seacoast residents. For more information, call 422-8200 or visit FFSH.org. For more about Families First, call 422-8208 or FamiliesFirstSeacoast.org.

PORTSMOUTH — Seacoast Mental Health Center and the New Hampshire Art Association will again collaborate in offering the second annual Art of Recovery.

Part non-clinical program and part fundraiser, AOR pairs SMHC client artists with professional artists to create unique, collaborative works of art. Last year, completed artwork was sold at an auction and dinner at Portsmouth Harbor Events and Conference Center with a similar event planned for this June.

According to NHAA Executive Director Katie Muth, AOR proved to be "an amazing outlet" for participating professional artists. "The art that was produced was not just high quality, it had great stories behind it that went with each piece that was sold," she said.

Saying they raised nearly $10,000 through AOR last year, SMHC Executive Director Jay Couture said support from the corporate sector is again a critical factor. "Although the AOR auction and dinner is still four months off, several sponsors from last year have already returned at higher levels this year, which has a tremendous impact on our program and agency as a whole" she said.

The Art of Recovery is currently sponsored by Team Sponsor CGI Employee Benefits Group and Event Sponsor Kennebunk Savings. Art Supply Sponsors include Addiction Recovery Services and Waddell & Reed.

In addition to an auction and dinner, the event will feature brief presentations and discussions by many of the artists. The second annual AOR auction and dinner will take place at Portsmouth Harbor Events and Conference Center on June 14. Tickets start at $50 per person and are available at www.artofrecoverynh.org. AOR proceeds will support services for individuals with severe mental illness and emotional disorders. For more information or to become a corporate sponsor, visit www.artofrecoverynh.org, or call 957-5743.

PORTSMOUTH — Seacoast Mental Health Center recently received a $500 donation from the Rotary Club of Hampton.

"As the state designated community mental health center providing services to almost 5,000 individuals and families per year, we greatly appreciate this generous donation by the Rotary Club of Hampton in support of our mission," said SMHC Director of Development and Communications Rob Levey.

John Nyhan, president of the Rotary Club of Hampton, said the donation reflects the club's funding philosophy to support "organizations that make a real difference in people's lives."

"Our board was happy to provide this donation to Seacoast Mental Health Center, as the center provides invaluable mental health services to not only people in need from the areas our club serves, but all of eastern Rockingham County," he said.

PORTSMOUTH — Families First Health and Support Center recently received a $20,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Funding came from the Barbara K. & Cyrus B. Sweet III Fund, Dorothy and Paul Hobbs Seacoast Advised Fund, and the Joseph G. and Jean E. Sawtelle Fund at the foundation.

The grant will support general operations at Families First, including health and dental care and parenting and family programs. For information on Families First, the Seacoast's community health center, call 422-8208 or visit www.FamiliesFirstSeacoast.org.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation manages a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. It awards $30 million annually in grants and scholarships. For more information, visit www.nhcf.org or call 224-6641.

On Feb. 19 Exeter Hospital became a designated Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the world's largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association.

The ANCC's Magnet Recognition Program recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Achieving Magnet status places Exeter among the top 7 percent of hospitals nationwide for providing consistently high quality nursing care to patients; and among only three other hospitals in New Hampshire (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, Southern New Hampshire Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph's Hospital, both in Nashua) to have received the designation.

"The recognition is a testament to the collaborative culture we have fostered among our nurses, medical staff and support staff. We are proud to be part of a select group of hospitals across the country to have received Magnet designation," said Susan Burns-Tisdale, MPH, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president, Clinical Operations, and chief nurse executive at Exeter Hospital.

Exeter Hospital has been participating in a rigorous, multi-year Magnet application process since 2010 when it first filed its intent with the ANCC to be considered for Magnet designation. The final application was accepted last fall and a team ANCC nurse appraisers conducted an intensive, three-day site visit at the hospital in December. After reviewing the application documents and results of the site visit, the team determined Exeter Hospital met all of the requirements to achieve Magnet status.

"Exeter Hospital embraces the relationship based care team approach to patient care," said Karen Richards, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Magnet Program director at Exeter Hospital. "Our culture is one of shared governance, allowing direct care nurses to assume leadership roles on and to participate in councils and committees designed to promote best practices and to improve patient care."

President and CEO Kevin Callahan said Exeter Hospital takes seriously its commitment to provide quality care to patients and to maintain a positive, collaborative practice environment for its nursing staff.

"Receiving Magnet designation is representative of this commitment," he said, "and is the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration to develop a culture where our nurses, providers, clinicians and support staff thrive and our patients genuinely feel as though they are being cared for by a member of their own family."

The Magnet Recognition Program was initially developed as the result of research that revealed a link between characteristics of hospitals that attract and retain highly trained nurses and those that achieve exceptional outcomes for quality of care, patient safety and patient satisfaction. Research showed commonalities between these hospitals with settings that support professional practice, promote best practices among nursing and demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the delivery of nursing services to patients.

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